A young woman in Chicago needs to make a decision through the course of a day in her life. This story is an attempt in feminist cinema as the main character acquires full agency at the end of the film to make her decision.
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What motivated you to make this film?
I wanted to make a short film centered around a female protagonist. I was inspired by the many strong women models in my life. My goal with the script was to highlight the resilience and tenacity of women when making big life decisions, while layering a bit of comedy in the mix.
2. From the idea to the finished product, how long did it take for you to make this film?
A couple of days to brainstorm the story and write the script, two days of filming, and around two weeks in post-production.
3. How would you describe your film in two words!?
The title says it all – “Hey, You!” Kidding aside, I would say, “facing challenges.”
4. What was the biggest obstacle you faced in completing this film?
The biggest obstacle came during post-production. We used natural light when filming, which worked great while filming. However, when rendering the final movie file, it was overexposed. This was the first time this had happened to me, and took me some time to troubleshoot in the end.
5. There are 5 stages of the filmmaking process: Development.
Pre-Production. Production. Post-Production. Distribution.
What is your favorite stage of the filmmaking process?
I like ‘em all. I just love to make movies and be involved. To me, each one is a stand alone chapter with its characters, plot twists, story lines and arcs. The connecting thread is the final product! If I had to choose one, it would be “production” as that stage is where the story comes to life, collaborating with everyone, at least in my opinion.
6. When did you realize that you wanted to make films?
When I was around 15 or 16, my parents and grandparents all chipped in to buy me a video camcorder. I would dictate scripts while my brothers wrote them down, and then we would film.Years later, we did my first feature film. We had a premiere and viewing party. I still treasure the memories of those early days.
7. What film have you seen the most times in your life?
That is a tough one, as there are just too many. I would say: Back to the Future, Jaws, The Godfather, and Anchorman.
8. In a perfect world: Who would you like to work with/collaborate with on a film?
I admire the work of Francis Ford Coppola so I would choose to work with him. In addition, I would work with my brothers because creating stories with them started it all.
9. You submitted to the festival via FilmFreeway. How has you experiences been working on the festival platform site?
Terrific and efficient! It is nice to have an online platform where your films can reach multiple festivals without the need to be constantly uploading files.
10. What is your favorite meal?
Caldo Gallego (Galician broth), or pizza from a place back home in Puerto Rico called: Faccio.
11. What is next for you? A new film?
Last year, I did four short films. I started this year with a fun passion project. I am currently working on a new script for another short film. Next for me is to continue to network and collaborate with like-minded filmmakers in Chicago. My goal is to continue to grow as a filmmaker and for the production value of my films to improve with each new film. I would also like to try my hand in acting and see how that goes.
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